Shortly after producer/arranger David Axelrod died of lung cancer on February 5, 2017 at the age of 85, photos of him in his ‘60s/’70s prime—working inside the massive Capitol Records studios in Hollywood during a recording session with Lou Rawls, the gravelly-voiced soul man for whom he produced from 1964 to 1970—began appearing on various websites. In the photos, he was surrounded by seated musicians, as he stood in the middle of the room with Rawls and arranger H.B. Barnum behind him. Arms folded and head bowed slightly, he looked to be in deep concentration as he contemplated his next musical move.

A South Central native who would’ve been—he always looked as though he’d walked on the wild side and lived to compose about it—Axelrod was a born broke white boy in 1931. He grew up in a black community surrounded by the sounds of jazz and early R&B. A pint-sized scamper who, in the ‘50s, survived sharp knife street battles, a stint in the Army, a short boxing career and a battle with heroin, David began working in music as a freelance session drummer and arranger at the end of the decade.

https://www.undergroundhi...id-axelrod

...

Interesting article, thanks!

I also remember that Waxpoetics did a two-part interview with David a few years back--fascinating to read about his life and works....

...